Banana Republic Top 5 New Spring Arrivals
25% off entire online online with code BRJAN25 (expires 1/13)
New car model years, monthly magazines, and seasonal clothing lines. They all show up strangely early. You’d think your February issue of Esquire would show up in February. And you’d also think spring clothing lines wouldn’t show up until at least after Groundhog Day
Banana Republic just launched the first chunk of their spring line. Use the code BRJAN25 and you’ll get 25% knocked off the retail price. Free shipping over $50 too. Here’s five options worth consideration:
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Essential Belted Trench – $187.50 (reg. $250)
Could this version be any where near as good as their previous trench? This time around it appears that the coat is a more traditional lighter khaki color, and 100% cotton. The all cotton makeup means it won’t shed water like the old water resistant trench which had a bit of nylon in it. Hopefully it has the same trim fit as its predecessor.
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Silk Cotton Cashmere Sweater Vest – $37.13 (reg. $49.50)
Hot damn it’s back. And yeah, that’s probably the words “hot damn” have ever been associated with a sweater vest. If you’ve got an athletic shape, a sweater vest cleans up the lines through your torso. Even the most well tailored shirts will bulge a little and a sweater vest smooths out that fabric underneath. Your shoulders also look more defined. Where this one should become head and shoulders above the rest is in the construction. Mainly silk. Smooth, tough, won’t stretch out. I have a previous version of the same makeup and I wear it all the time. Wearing a sweater vest ain’t the easiest thing to do. Here’s a few suggestions to minimize the dork factor.
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Double Stitch Leather Belt – $37.13 (reg. $49.50)
Proof that a casual belt doesn’t have to be boring. Brass buckle, double stitching all the way around, and just enough character without being over the top. Most of the time when wearing this your shirts will be untucked. So it’ll only show it’s unique stitching on occasion.
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Straight Fit Canvas Five-Pocket Pant – $52.13 (reg. $69.50)
Back in mid September Banana Republic had an eerily similar pant available in stores for what felt like maybe 25 minutes. There one day and gone the next. The William Henry Harrison of pants. These look to be almost identical. Same regular price, similar description, etc… If these are close to fit and fabric feel, they’re the solution for guys who are addicted to jeans but want to branch out. Even on sale at $50, it’s still a lot to pay for a pair of chinos. But the previous incarnation felt a lot better than a pair of Dockers.
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Moleskin Peacoat – $148.50 (reg. $198)
If you’re the type that’s disappointed to put away your wool peacoat once winter wraps up, here’s your lighter warmer weather option. Made of cotton moleskin it’ll still be thicker and heavier than a regular chino utility jacket, and it has all the look of a cropped wool peacoat. Nice nod to the baracuta/harrington jacket with the button flap front pockets.
The 25% off your order code BRJAN25 expires on Thursday January 13th…
Joe, how does the sizing run on the sweater-vests? As a slim 38 chest, 29 waist, am I better off in a small?
@Paul: Oh yeah, at a 29 waist, you don’t want extra fabric around your middle. Go with a small.
Just a heads up. I owned several of the BR chinos, and even in the absence of putting them in a drier (for fear of shrinking), they all shrank, going from a 34 to a 32. Spend your money elsewhere.
@Hagbard: That specific Canvas Five Pocket Pant? And how’d you wash em’? On cold? I only ask because I’ve never had that issue with BR pants…
@Hagbard Only owned one pair BR Chinos that one cold wash ruined also. Before the wash they were the perfect length – any longer would have been OK – but any shorter would have been a deal breaker. After one cold wash w/ hanging air dry they shrunk enough to make them too short, almost an inch.
@Al and Hagbard: Whoa… Cold wash and a hang dry and they still shrank? That’s something. And not a good something. That stinks guys. I’ve got one pair of BR chinos but they’re a bit older (3 years?) I wonder if they did something to the fabric…
I have only had one pair of Banana Republic chinos and those were the 5-Pocket Pant that Joe had recommended earlier.
They didn’t shrink at all but it might have been good if they had. They were pretty baggy and shapeless. I find them indistinguishable from early 90’s dockers. No shrinkage, though.
The canvas pants mentioned in the post are great(in light khaki). I’ve washed them multiple times and wear them about once a week to work. They’ve been a welcome addition to regular slacks and jeans for the biz casual setting at my office.
They’re a little reminiscent of those pants all the Italian guys are wearing around in the snaps from Pitti Uomo in Milan.
Yep, cold wash always, and line dry. I’ll note that our water in the AZ summer is never cold cold, but it’s a far cry from hot, very tepid at best. In all fairness, they were not that exact pair of chinos. I should note, that I have a herringbone type pant from them for several years now that is still in great shape, and two pairs of jeans which have been great as well. Anybody have a good recommendation for chinos, any thoughts on any of the docker chinos?
The Vintage Straight Chinos are the DEAL! They should be on here. They’re slim (Actually slim! Like 14 inch leg opening slim) and they’re cheaper than J.Crew and Rugby. (The reigning slim chino champs.) You’ve gotta check them out.
this shrink prolblem is real I have 5 pairs of chinos that are 36×32 all have shrunk
however my Dockhy which are much older still same size no problems. Why cant BP pants do the same…